BEING OFF COURSE IS NORMAL

As much as I like that state of being fully aware of my doing and being present, I also know that l need to check frequently whether I am still on course.

Did you know that an airplane is most of the time of course? It doesn't matter whether it is on autopilot or whether on manual-flight, wind changes are resulting in slight deviations from the original course. So what a pilot (or an autopilot system) constantly has to do is to compare the current location with the planned route. Since the plane will be off course 99% of the time, the pilot needs to adjust to get back on course.

A Dream Is Just A Dream

Okay now you've prepared your bags and are ready to go - the cab is waiting in front of your house. What would happen if instead of getting out of your house into the cab (and later on the plane, etc.) you would stay inside and keep on looking at your travel map, the catalog of the hotel and your plan description? Even if you continue to envision how exciting it would be, the cab driver outside would get rather annoyed if you don't move your ass and get it in the cab, the airline would also get annoyed of you and would take off without you.

PLANNING A JOURNEY

Once you know where you want to go (you know the country, location and the hotel including all the features you want) it is necessary to plan your travel and find out what steps you need to take to get there. Let's stick with the travel example.

Once you know which hotel you want, you need to book it. If it is available, you need to find out, how to get there. So you check airlines and see what options they give you at the available dates. You book a flight. Then you decide what you need to take with you. Then (as the date of departure comes closer, you'll pack your bags and prepare all your documents).

WHAT YOU NEED MOTIVATION FOR

What would happen if you knew where you want to go, you jumped into your car, turned the key, ready to go - and then nothing happened because there was no gas in your tank. To get where you want to go not only your car needs gas in its tank to get its engine working and moving, you need gas in your mental tank as well. This gas is called motivation (because it gets you moving just like a sports car with a full gas tank).

Achieving Any Goal Is A Journey

Achieving any goal is really comparable to a journey. You are starting at a point which is your current reality, and you are going for a destination which is your goal. In between, there are certain steps to take, certain obstacles to overcome and certain things to keep in mind. There are also certain prerequisites for any stage along the way.

Christmas is only 2 or 3 days away, depending on whether you count the 24th or the 25th as the first day.

For most people nowadays this is a time to celebrate with their family, to escape work stress for some days and to exchange gifts of love. While all of these are wonderful reasons none of them touch the true meaning of Christmas at all.

I am sure all of you have heard of the 80/20 rule or the Pareto principle? The 80/20 rule says that very often things could be achieved much easier, faster and with less trouble by focusing on the top 80%. It states that often 80% of the effects are caused by 20% of the causes. So don't go for perfection, just go for what would be good enough to get 80% of the benefit. In many cases that could also be translated to what or how much would be good enough if you don't want to make it perfect.